The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation funds direct service non-profit organizations to improve the quality of people’s lives by providing them with the tools they need to succeed. Since its inception in 1988, the Foundation has funded programs around Montana and in the areas in which the Washington Companies operate.

Focus area:

• Education: Reaching children through early childhood education, after-school learning programs, and post-secondary and graduate scholarships helps our young people get the start they deserve.

• Health & Human Services: We target programs that ensure access to basic health care to the most vulnerable members of our communities, as well as programs that educate our youth about wellness, nutrition, exercise, and healthy lifestyles. We also support experiential programs that offer disabled or disadvantaged people opportunities they may not have otherwise.

• Arts & Culture: Through cultural endeavors, we help bring people together to share their creative talents, intellects, passions, customs, and bold initiatives to explore new ways of doing things. In the areas of theatre, art, and music, the Foundation’s grants have helped organizations reach a broader audience, infused new life into programs, and created long-lasting cultural traditions within our communities.

• Community Service: Community Service touches the lives of everyone where they work, play, and live. Despite our individual differences, we are linked by common interests to do more for the places we call home. The Foundation invests in organizations that fortify this connection. When each person is involved in one way or another in the improvement of their community, the community is enhanced.

When making a grant decision, we examine each organization’s financial stability, staffing and facility capacity, and relevant partnerships. Additionally, we assess the capability of an organization to sustain a program into the future and its ability to show measurable impact on the population they serve. Finally, funding is guided toward organizations that support low-income, rural, and underserved populations through one of our four main focus areas: Education, Health and Human Services, Arts and Culture, and Community Service.